Ohayo, Oyasumi
by Kinakao
Summary: Time had passed and they thought they would never be able to go back. When the loss of friends makes her desperate, the Ultamaiden has to go to the past and set things right. Sequel to Konnichiwa, Sayonara. Suggestive content later. Can be read before KS.
1. The Show Must Go On

Kinakao: Hello, Hello everyone! I'm so glad to be back!

Joan: Yay! New story! We aren't forgotten!

Daida: You mean...You mean...?

Kinakao: Yes, I do! Here is the promised sequel to my first story, Konnichiwa, Sayonara! Now, for those of us just joining, you can either start here, or read the first one. Here are the names of some of the people you may want to know:

_Mari/Rhea, Tamora/Joan, Charity/Daida, Rayen/Cleo, and Brian/Bree. The Guardians are Hope, Ember, Dew, Terra, and Aria respectively._

I do not own Yugioh or any of its characters. I do own the above mentioned characters and most things applying to them.

Please enjoy!

**...**

**_Ohayo, Oyasumi: Good Morning, Good Night_**

Chapter 1: The Show Must Go On

The clopping of shoes against the pavement echoed around me as the crisp morning air bit at my bare knees. The rain from the night before still lingered before it overwhelmed my lungs, tightening my chest with the familiar yearning. I slipped my hand into my jacket pocket and found the dark orb that rested there. My fingers slithered over it, playing with it to comfort my aching core. Relief washed over me as the voice next to me caught my attention. "Still carrying that thing around with you?"

My head snapped to my companion: A blonde and blue eyed girl, clad in a navy and white uniform, was peering sympathetically at me through her thick-lens glasses. Embarrassment coated my cheeks before I grasped the sphere fully, pulling it out into her view. The black surface rejected all light, smooth to the touch, and fit snugly in the palm of my hand. "Yeah," I breathed. "Shara said it would be safe if I had it." I rolled the orb across my fingers before slipping it back into my uniform pocket. "I just wonder why she would hand over the soul of her beloved to me." I sighed. Shara, once a Spirit of Time who lived thousands of years ago, had been trapped in a shard of darkness. Thanks to the powers of the current Spirit of Time, her soul was released from her eternal prison.

"Isn't it just the soul of the demon who devoured him?" The blonde recalled; our minds wandered back to the dark haired man that had once been a painter. Charity Raizen, the girl who walked with me, had been by my side since the day I met her. Both of us had seen the monster within that man.

"But it was all she had left of her love." I muttered, staring at the ground beneath my saddle shoes. "Either way, I'll hold on to it until we go back."

Charity was silent for a moment, her cerulean hues lingering on my profile. Pity and sadness mixed in the spotlight. "Mari…" She whispered. "It's been seven months. Do you really think we are ever going back?" Her eyes were dry with exhausted hopes.

I refused to lift my gaze. Mari Mahogany. That was me: Plain, red and black haired, dark chocolate eyed, high school student, me. However, even as normal as I and the girl next to me seemed, our lives had changed from the lackluster routine to an amazing adventure seven months ago. I had been pulled into the world of YuGiOh and had discovered that I, with four others from my dimension, was destined to be Guardians of peace. Our journey together led us to finding love, tragedy, and unlocking ultimate power (for three out of five of the Guardians). Our powers fuel the basic elements, including the power of time. Each one could use their abilities at will, except for the Spirit of Time. The punishment for doing so cost the Guardians to be barred from the world the power was used in. I was the current Spirit of Time, and to save one of my friends, had ejected us from the world of our dreams. "I promised I would go back." My voice was harsh. "I promised."

Charity, also known as the Water Guardian, mulled silently as she watched me. "Say," she started in a cheery tone. "Spring Break starts today." She reminded me. It was already almost April and the school was allowing the mandatory vacation we deserved. I glanced at her expectantly. "Well, I just got all of the YuGiOh DVDs early." She paused at my paling face. "They finished the series." She spoke softer, a smile still pulling at the edges of her lips. When we had arrived back into this world for the first time, I found myself tearing up at random moments during the show. It had come to the point where I avoided looking at anything related to the anime, much less completing it. "We can spend a day per season -there are five- and then we can go hit the beach." She bribed me with her element. It was working.

I tried my voice, praying it would not give away my uneasiness. "What do you mean by 'we'?" The pitch creaked.

Charity lifted her shoulders, self-satisfied peaks crossing her features. "I mean all of the Guardians." Her voice dropped as her eyes shifted over the people passing by us on their own trek to school. No one here in this plane knew of our secret. The bell resounded, calling us to our respective classes as we walked through the gates. "You up for it?" She asked, turning on her heel to leave.

Was I? "Yeah," I grinned. "I'll bring some popcorn." Simple wave of the hand, and we were shuffled into our first class.

**…**

Usually, it was my duty to coordinate the arrangements. However, right as I eased into my chair, I was informed that Charity already received text messages with the seal of approval from all of the guests. The school day groaned on forgettably, our teachers knowing we would not retain any new material over the course of a week. Once released, my travel home was quiet, as was the house when I arrived. The empty abode was unsurprising; as I was sure my mother would be working late. I wrote a note for her, leaving it on the table. The basic, "I'm staying at Charity's, don't worry, I'll come home in a few days." If she was worried, she could always call the Water Guardian's house to ensure my location.

My pace was quickened as I rushed up the stairs to grab my blanket and a few days worth of clothes. A glimmer from the vanity caught my gaze. There, on a jewelry tree, was a glistening gold watch. A gift from Yugi. The fear of it becoming damaged or stolen struck me to the point where I no longer wore it. A smile played on my lips as the memory of Brian, my cousin, had told my mother it was a late birthday present he gave me. Without hesitation now, I snatched it from its rest and fastened it to my wrist. Once stuffing the clothes into a duffle bag, and rushing to the kitchen to grab up my promised contribution, I was off to face my fears.

**…**

As I locked up my bike against the gate that guarded Charity's mansion-like house, I was greeted by a squished smile that pressed against the bars. "Hey, Mari!" His tenor voice rang. The scraggy brown hair of my cousin was pulled up into a short rat tail, keeping it from tangling in the gate as he opened it for me. "You're late. I guess I get your front row seat." He joked as his dark eyes lit with excitement.

"Fine, then." I retorted. "You don't get to eat any of my popcorn." I spoke as I raised the duffle bag with a smirk. His expression retreated to panic as his stomach occasionally led his brain. With some minor apologies, I was let inside the gate as he ransacked my bag for his prize.

Once entering the house, we watched a redheaded girl crossed the hallway towards the kitchen. She paused at our arrival, flashing her teeth as her black eyes filled with joy. "Hey Mari, glad you could make it." Tamora was in a chipper mood. It seemed almost off, given the circumstances: She barely knew anything at all about Yugioh, except for the game and what she had learned while we were there. She had always carried the card Ryou gave her at all times. It was a surprise to all of us that the hot-headed fire guardian could have been so in love with the shy and timid Ryou Bakura. "Rayen and Charity are in the bedroom setting up the TV."

I snatched away the bags of popcorn Brian had stolen from my bag and handed them to her. "Make sure his portion is smaller than everyone else's." I grinned at her as I heard his protests while a wink was shared between us girls. I left the two to bicker as I went straight for Charity's room. When I opened the door, I found myself staring at a sixty inch flat screen while the two occupants readied the DVD's in front of it.

"Do we really have to watch season one?" A dark haired girl complained to the blonde as she stared at the discs with her dual colored hues. "It has absolutely no rules and we've seen it a million times."

A forlorn look crossed Charity's face. "Tamora hasn't seen it, and it has Ryou in it." She spoke softly while her gaze shifted to me. "So, it's best if we give her a chance to see him again, right Mari?" A wry smile touched her lips.

One blue, one green, the eyes of Rayen shot up to me as I nodded. "Besides, it is sort of essential to the story." I added while the Earth guardian pouted. "It won't take that long." I consoled.

Rayen rubbed the die that hung from her ear. A present from Otogi that she never took off. "Fine." She agreed, just as Tamora and Brian walked in with the snacks.

"We ready to get this started?" Charity announced, getting us pumped for the show.

"Yeah!" A unison cry erupted.

**…**

I found myself shifting uncomfortably through just the opening theme. Seeing Yuugi again made my heart lurch. However, I refused to show my emotions. I did not want them to see my weaknesses, nor did I want to ruin this for Tamora. During the first season, the pain eased on my heart, and when Ryou appeared, Tamora could not suppress her smile. Tamora asked us if the person challenging Yuugi to a shadow game was the one we had warned her about. With a nod of confirmation, the red head pulled out her card, and began staring at it intently. "Guys… Where is the Change of Heart card?" Rayen asked, puzzled.

We paused the DVD as we turned to look at her. A shaking finger was pointed at the screen. We followed it, seeing where the card normally showed during the episode. It had completely vanished; however, this disappearance did not seem to affect the characters. "Maybe it's just an error on the disc." Tamora spoke slowly, warily looking between the television and her card. "Keep playing it." She encouraged.

Charity continued the show. A few seconds in, and the card appeared back in its place. "See? Nothing to worry about." Tamora breathed. Season one continued without interruption, aside from the gasps and emotions erupting from Tamora. I had a feeling all of us were rumbling under the surface, restraining ourselves. It was most apparent during the duel between Joey and Yuugi, where Charity and I refused to make eye contact. We playfully cheered, pretending we were there. As Yuugi fought Pegasus, tears formed in my eyes, and a sympathetic Brian handed me a tissue. When a victor arose, we cheered, summoning Charity's father to the room.

Mr. Braxton was a large, muscular man who donned a thick blond mustache that made his hard blue eyes seem even more intimidating. "You girls spending the night?" His rough voice boomed as he scanned over us. His gaze stopped when he found Brian, a scowl crossing his features. "What about you, young man?"

Brian's eyes opened wide, like saucers. "I'm willing to stay in the guest room, Mr. Braxton. But I was so looking forward to late night mani's and pedi's." His voice was innocent and drawn out, giving him a flair I never knew was possible. "Plus we were going to look through Cosmo and see our future matches." He flipped his hair. "By the way," Brian purred. "May I say that is a wonderful outfit you are wearing? Very chic." His hands motioned with flattery.

Mr. Braxton huffed, shifting uncomfortably under his clothes. "That's fine, Brian." He spoke as he looked away. "You stay put and have…fun." He grimaced at the idea of girly activities to follow and promptly left the room.

After a few minutes of ensuring he was gone, Brian stuck his tongue out at Charity. "I hate pretending I'm gay around your dad." He complained.

"Like you didn't around Kaiba?" Rayen recalled, poking him in the ribs, reminding him of the date that Kaiba took the boy on while they were in the other world. He waved her hand away, trying to move on.

"Shall we continue?"

**…**

The next day was rather uneventful. We had moved into the introduction of Otogi, and we spotted a scene where he was absent one die earring. In Battle City, we could feel our other parts, the true ancient Guardians, watching behind our eyes. A few episodes later, we noticed the dog tag around Joey's neck disappear into thin air. Charity played with the metal between her fingers. "No way…" She whispered. "Everything they gave us disappears."

Brian lifted his wrist, looking at his pink and blue bracelets. "We can't be sure until we see if these are gone too." His voice remained mostly calm, but the sound cracked occasionally.

Season three came and went without much attention. Tears were shed by us, but only because we knew the people were real. We all knew they would come out alright; it still hurt to see our friends suffer. Then, Battle City ended and Yuugi had all the Egyptian gods. Charity threw a fit when Brian began to sing about Mai and Joey kissing in a tree.

Season Four ravaged my heart. As the episodes continued on I could not help but feel the rumble in my throat as Yuugi let Rebecca crawl over him and called him her 'boyfriend.' "Doesn't he remember anything about me?" I snarled. Tamora's hand rested on my shoulder, comforting me. I tried to reassure myself of their age difference and his loyalty. A female voice startled us, calling out to Yuugi. I felt four pairs of eyes on me. The speakers produced my exact tone, crying out to the Pharaoh. I rose my hands up defensively. "I swear, that's not me." We watched with anticipation, awaiting the golden girl to appear. Instead, the image of Dark Magician Girl gave us a sense of unified disappointment. At her appearance, her voice switched pitches, no longer echoing my tone.

Scenes later, after seeing Mai in that state, I felt completely betrayed. "Serves her right." Charity huffed. I punched her in the shoulder playfully, but my expression did not carry the same cheer. She pouted, nudging the popcorn towards me in apology.

Suddenly, I could feel Hope, the true spirit of Time, yearning to come out in a physical form. Ever since we had been in this world, she, nor the other Guardians, could manifest in this reality. Her heartache resounded in my core as she watched Yami become a being of darkness, succumbing to the Orichalcos. It was not until I watched Yuugi disappear that I felt her same pain. "No…" I whispered. This was new to me, and my restraints were depleted. "Yuugi, no!" I cried as I lunged at the television. It took the combined strength of Tamora, Rayen, and Brian to pin me to the floor.

"It's just an episode!" Rayen's voice was harsh in my ear. "There's nothing you can do."

Charity ensured the safety of the TV long enough to guarantee I was feeling better enough to continue on. I was released and we carried on with the show. A similar instance occurred soon after, with Charity at the center of it. Joey had lost his duel. We found ourselves in a mess of tears through the entire season; Mr. Braxton had walked in at some point, coming face-to-face with our sobs. He merely shut the door and walked away. When all of our heroes returned, the five of us gathered for a group hug. "Who knew Kaiba could be such a great guy?" Brian's rhetorical question was answered with our laughter.

**…**

With four out of our five days spent, it was Brian's and my turn to wash dishes as the rest set up for the last season. "You know, it'll be over now." He reminded me without looking up.

My eyes wandered to his soapy hands. They were trembling as he feebly held a plate under the running water. Anzu's bracelets shined softly at me. "We'll go back." I stated strongly, putting away dried tableware.

"What do you think 'love' is?"

My body froze. Brian was shivering in the lukewarm air. His eyes remained away from me, even when I managed to turn to face him. "What does that-"

"Just answer me." His voice strained to keep calm.

It took me a moment before I could finally answer him. "I don't know." The sadness rolled off my tongue and into the words.

The silence between us could have been sliced with a knife.

**…**

It was nice to relax during the Grand Championship and Capsule Monsters sagas. As we watched into the final season, Brian shouted, "There!" His bangled hand pointed to Anzu's wrist, where the pink and blue straps had been only a moment before. "Everything they gave us is connected." He muttered, pulling his wrist to his lips.

Without any other evidence, we continued on. I could feel Hope's heart: It seemed confused and frustrated. _This isn't what happened…_Her voice echoed in my head. _These can't be the Pharaoh's memories_. Episode after episode past. Then, the truth was revealed. _An hourglass…That controls time?_ Distress coated the Spirit's voice. I could understand why. Unrestricted power over time in the hands of someone evil could change all of reality.

The Pharaoh's memories ended and the ceremonial duel commenced. "Atem's going to win." Rayen's voice confirmed. We knew the consequences if he lost. Our eyes were glued to the duelists, as we acted as part of the crowd. The last attack. It was over. I raised a hand to my moist cheek, wiping away a few of the tears. My body twisted to catch a glimpse of my friends. Red eyes abound, our faces were drenched.

When Atem walked through the door, Hope's voice cracked. _I'll soon be leaving to the afterlife as well. _A lurch against my ribcage made me aware of her words. _He moved on, so I and the other Guardians will too._ Her voice wavered, almost fading in my head.

It never would occur to me until much later what her words meant. All of my senses vanished at the thought of losing both Atem and Hope on the same day. "No…" I rumbled as I rose to my feet. "No!"

The Guardians stared at me as the lights dimmed. A thin veil of gold overlaid my body, glowing with forgotten power. "Mari…" Brian rose beside me. "Stop whatever you are doing."

Meaningless. All words were meaningless. "…Go back…" I muttered. "…And change the past." My voice grew stronger, my frame shaking with determination. I had to break the barrier of this world, so we could enter the other reality. "I can't let Atem die!" My eyes lit a fiery goldenrod, as the room began to vibrate.

"Stop her, now!"

"Mari, don't do this!" Charity screamed at me as she grabbed onto my wrist. Her attention turned to the others. "Help me get her down." Her ordered were swiftly followed.

Tamora took hold of my other wrist, using combined strength to lower my torso to the floor. "If you use your powers to open up the portal, we will be locked out of this world." She tried to reason with me.

Brian took a hold of my leg, forcing me to kneel. "We can't do anything to save him now." His eyes darted to Rayen. "Get her other leg." He instructed. The room had turned into a wind tunnel as I tried to further release my power. I was close, so very close to opening the doorway back.

"Please, Mari…" Rayen spoke as she forced her way to my free leg, which seemed to move without command as she bent it down. Her entire weight pressed down against my calf. "I want to go back too, but not like this." The sadness reached deeper inside of me than anyone else.

Hope could feel the emergency of the situation. _Mari, no!_ She cried out, as she tried to take control of the vessel before time ran out.

The power rolling through the room came to a head. Words flowed from my mouth while my eyes glazed over. "Open, portal of time. Take me back to where I desire!" A distant scream. A large black portal above the five of us. After the darkness swallowed us whole, the room came to an eerie stillness, with the dark orb nestled untouched in my bag.

**…**

Blinking away the shadows, I found myself face-down on uncomfortable concrete. A groan escaped my lips as I lifted my head to take in the source of similar noises about me. A twist at the waist revealed a sight I had waited months for: My friends in the world of Yugioh, all on the ground with me. Fear struck my core, but was quickly dismissed when I looked down at my animated fingers. "Guys!" I called to them. "Joan, Daida, Cleo, Bree!" Their names here, in the world we belonged to.

Each rose slowly, confusion plastered on their faces. They looked to me for guidance, but my attention was focused on the Kame Game shop that stood only a few yards from us. "Yuugi!" I cried out, the silhouette leaving the upper-most window. The speed my body found to pick myself up was incredible. Even with my legs barely able to keep me standing, I made my way towards the beacon of hope. That was, until I saw my heels soar above my head as I was thrown back from an invisible barrier. My back provided enough friction to stop before slamming into my friends. "W-what?" I choked out.

The surface below us vanished. A dark void started to drag us in, despite our resistance. Chains shot up at us, ensnaring the Guardians and pulling them down into the abyss. A chain barely missed me, just by the sheer luck of my movement. Hope's ethereal form materialized beside me. Her golden eyes welled with tears. _"Rhea…"_ She spoke softly. Silver links cocooned her form, dragging her away from me.

"Hope!" I screamed before I too, was drawn in too far.

**…**

Sun beat down on my eyelids, rousing me from my slumber. I felt rested and refreshed; both of which I had lacked for months. A smile tugged at my lips as my eyes opened, but immediately faded into bewilderment. Sandy, transparent drapes hung gracefully over the silk cushions my body pressed into. My breath caught, the tightness around my midsection striking me first. Lifting my torso, I found flowing robes expanding from my waist below a taut purple belt. I ran my fingers over the threading, sucking in a mouthful of air at the notice of my tanner skin. My eyes darted around, meeting with the unhindered sun through a balcony. A thin sheet of bronze on the stone side table blinded my left eye before I scrambled for it. Grasping it firmly in both hands, I used my primitive mirror to stare at myself.

The girl who returned my frightened look had rich, tan skin with sweet, arulent eyes. Her long dark locks were tangled with gold strands that led to the circlet resting on her forehead. Shakily, I dropped the metal onto the bed, rising to my feet to make my way to the open air. The midday sun beat down on the stone railing, as well warmed my skin at the first chance. The world beyond the walls was ammophilous and dry, with many small buildings the same color as the ground. As I scanned the horizon, I felt my heart heave as I spotted a familiar structure.

A scream echoed through the room.

**…**

Kinakao: I hope you all liked it. I know that it is a bit of a cliffhanger, but I hope to update soon. Please review. It does actually make me write faster!

I hope to see you all next time!


	2. The Weight of the Sun

Kinakao: Hello, hello! It's been a long time, hasn't it?

Bree: Geez, we thought you died.

Kinakao: I'm sorry! I have been going through college and it's been a major setback in the story.

Cleo: Does that mean that you're writing again? It wasn't very nice where you left them off.

Kinakao: Yes! But, first, here's a chapter, which lots of you asked for. Sorry for the wait! Please enjoy!

Bree: She almost forgot- Kinakao doesn't own Yugioh or any of it's characters. She does own me, Rhea/Hope, Cleo/Terra, and the woman with the pot.

_Please enjoy!_

**...**

**Chapter 2: The Weight of the Sun.**

The door burst open, the sound alone making me turn on my heel to face the invaders. A series of men filed into the room, their uniform white wrapping around their waists and spear in hand frightening me. I could see their leader, a tall, smooth, tanned skin man trying to speak to me. However, the incessant screaming filled my ears, leaving me deaf to all other noises. It refused to cease until he placed a hand on my shoulder, his roar of words louder than the screeching. "My lady!" He shouted. "You must calm down!" I had seen the Pyramids of Egypt. I had seen the rolling sands. I was the one who was screaming.

My throat tightened as the sound died in my mouth. "Get your hands off of her." A strong, female voice commanded from behind the guard of men that were now packing the room. Immediately, the man's hand left my skin and the tears began to roll down my cheeks as I turned away, sinking to the ground. My shoulders rose to shield myself. "My lady, are you alright?" The voice was closer now.

The tone was familiar, but the words sounded completely weird. I shouldn't have been able to understand them, due to the foreign vocabulary. "I don't understand you." I muttered, my own voice rough from the strain of screaming. But, instead of what I expected, my own words were twisted, a language unknown to me spilling from my lips. But, I could understand each syllable. My fingers touched my mouth, trying to figure out the mystery behind it before realizing that the room was still staring at me. I twisted around to face the woman. "What is going on?"

I turned to face strong brown-red eyes, and short dark locks on a woman I was all too familiar with. Her expression was hard on me, making me flinch when she turned and called for someone else. "Terra! Why was she alone?" She scolded to the crowd. "You are her handmaid." My focus was drawn to a group of women who had pushed aside the men. Each was clad in white from head to toe, their hair hidden from sight under a rough, beige cloth. One of the younger appearing girls stumbled her way to the front, mumbling an apology.

"Anzu…?" I gaped. "Cleo…?"

The green eyed girl perked up at her name, batting her hues a little to make sure she had heard me correctly. Relief rushed to her face, a bright smile breaking out on her lips. "Rhea!" Her voice chimed with a mix of solace and delight.

A confused expression lingered on the woman's (The one who I thought to be Anzu) face. "She must still be afflicted by Horus' wrath." She spoke, before her fingers coiled around my wrist, jerking my body up unforgivingly as she pulled to me to my feet. I stumbled, bringing my face closer to her dark eyes. "My lady, it is me, Teana." The voice was strained to be sweet. When she found no recognition in my own hues, she groaned and turned around and began to walk towards center of the room, keeping a strong hold on me.

Much like a child following her parent, I sniffed back tears as I followed suit behind Teana, lifting the back of my hand to wipe away the salty water from my eyes. Teana released me once she had me seated firmly on the bed I had whisked myself from, and her gaze shifted to the people in the room. "Show's over. Let her handmaid take it from here." She commanded, clapping her hands together once as her head tilted towards the door. "We need to inform the Pharaoh." At that very word, the men came to full attention, shuffling out of the room as quickly as they had come in. The women who accompanied Teana followed the others, with the dancer look-a-like being the last to leave. I almost saw for a second a pained expression before she shut the door behind her.

Cleo remained alone with me, a moment of silence lingering in the air before she broke it with her excited smile. "Rhea, I can't believe you're here." She gushed, rushing to my side. She plopped herself down on the bed, her fingers curled with enthusiasm. "When they mentioned they had found someone in the desert, I hoped it was you."

"What's happened? What do you know?" My tone was just under the sound of commanding her to talk.

Cleo shook her head. "Not much, to be honest. I've only been awake myself for a few hours." Her gaze shifted from me. "I woke up in the servant's quarters. Everyone keeps calling me Terra." Fear crept into her jade hues as she brought her optics back to mine. "But, Rhea, I can't talk to her." It was all the worry she had been holding back that now was coming to the surface. "Terra's gone!" She exclaimed, losing her cool. "I thought if I could find you, maybe she would come back, but she hasn't." Her hands clenched tighter before she reached out and pulled me into an embrace. The usually grounded Cleo clung to me tightly. "I'm scared." She sobbed softly against my shoulder.

My hands rubbed her back gently, trying to comfort her in some sort of way. My brows furrowed together as I resisted biting my lip. I had never seen Cleo like this before. She was normally the most stoic of all of my friends. "Cleo, it'll be okay." There was no point in both of us panicking. I tried to calm her as best as I could. "We'll figure out what's going on." My fingers stroked her back, and I could feel her breathing slow, the crying stopping. However, she became too still. I shifted, leaning down and pushing her back slightly. My head dipped to catch her gaze. "Cleo?" I questioned worriedly.

Brightly gleaming green eyes rose to match mine for a moment. A gasp escaped her throat before she flung herself away from me, practically falling off the bed in surprise. My hand reached after her, but the girl was far too surprised to accept it. "M-my lady!" She stammered.

"Cleo, what's wrong?"

The girl who pulled away from me, the one who had just been Cleo not moments before, stared at me in utter perplexity. "My lady, Hope, it is me. Terra." Her hand moved to her chest, leaning forward to emphasis her words. "Don't you recognize me at all?"

I thought my heart stopped. "Hope?" My voice cracked over the small name. "Terra?" The girl nodded, rising to her feet. "But I was just—I was…" I started to stumble over myself. I could have sworn that Cleo had found me. No, I hadn't imagined it. "…talking to her..." The words were fading and I could see the pity in her radiant eyes.

"Oh no…" She sighed. "My lady, you must be suffering from the heat." She shook her head, her hand rising to her temple to rub it gently. "Perhaps we didn't find you in time." She turned from me, shifting her weight to make her exit. "I'll get you some water."

I thrusted my arm out, snatching her wrist before she could get too far away. "Stop calling me that, please." I pleaded. Her eyes widened at my touch, flinching slightly. I swallowed back my frustration and confusion. "Please, just call me Rhea." I begged. "Tell me what happened to me."

"Amnesia too? This is not good." She grumbled, her hand moving from her temple to her chin. She seemed to contemplate how to approach me before giving out a sigh and shaking off my grip. "We found you wandering around in the desert." She gave in to my request. "You aren't supposed to wander very far." She leaned in, lowering her voice. "What if the other Guardians are here in the Palace?"

My jaw dropped, the questions bubbling up to the surface. A knock on the door cut my thoughts as a man opened the door—A guard from before. He was not the same leader that had been concerned about my well-being. His eyes were cold and hard on me. "The Pharaoh requests your presence." His gruff voice rumbled.

Terra nodded obediently. She caught my gaze and gingerly brushed her fingers against my arm, ushering me from the bed towards the door and the man. She mouthed to me, 'Go on.' I pursed my lips reluctantly, wanting to stay and ask questions of Terra. I took a step towards him, his head jerking to hurry my steps. He abandoned the door way, leading the way towards my destination as I followed him closely, the Earth Guardian trailing behind me.

**…**

The hallways were lavish, large carvings in the walls loomed over me as they told I story I didn't understand. The fresh hieroglyphics were stunning, the rich colors seeming all too extraordinary to be real. I glanced around to see if anyone else was astonished at this sight, but the other's gazes remained focused. As we passed by people, many of which were carrying and shuffling around to get to one place or another, they stopped and bowed deeply to me. I gave a return nod to a woman who carried a large, painted pot in her arms. She caught my action, and reeled back in a gasp, dropping the ornate object to only have it shatter while she made joyous sounds. I started to turn, the guilt of the broken pot weighing on me to at least help her pick it up, but Terra's hand pressed against my back to push me forward.

I was led to a large, open room. The stone ceiling was held by giant pillars that easily rose more than just a couple of stories. The walls were lines with intricate drawings, and there were people gathered in the middle of the room. The crowd formed two groups, one to the left and right, making a corridor for the guards and me to pass by them. I was led up the path between them, my eyes nervously darting around as the people took a moment to turn and stare at me. At the opposite end of the room, there was a large throne seat, with six people standing before it. Resting in the ornate seat, I could see a calm man waiting for my approach. A small man stood beside him, acting as an advisor. I recognized each of the people all too well. "The Priests…" I murmured. "And…" I found the hard amethyst eyes of the Pharaoh staring right at me. "Atem."

The guards came to a halt before the throne before shifting to the side and issuing me closer to the six that stood vigilant of the Pharaoh behind them. I could see him fully now, the spikey hair sprouting from behind his crown, the mocha skin allowing him to adapt to the sun's rays. His regal appearance never faltered once. "Have you rested back to full health?" His face remained hard as he asked his question.

My eyes wandered to each of the Priests that loomed over me. I could feel my heart racing, the words becoming stuck in my throat. I had to pull my gaze away from them, to let it fall back to his expectant eyes. "Yes, Pharaoh." I tried my best to sound formal. "I am feeling very well."

The faintest sliver of a smile traced his lips for a brief moment. "I'm sure the room was smaller than what you are accustomed to." I thought I heard a joke in his voice, but I couldn't be certain.

Even so, confusion struck me. The room I had awoken in was large and beautiful. No one could have complained about it. "Forgive me, Pharaoh." My chin tilted down before I shook my head. "But the room was more than accommodating." A buzz of whispers began to stir the crowd behind me as I lifted my head to try and show him my gratitude. "It was more than I'm used to."

The room became deathly quiet. The shadow of the smile that had been present in Atem had vanished completely. His features became overwhelmed with hurt. I looked back to the Priests to find their expressions filled with a scandalized surprise. I could feel the same coming from the eyes burning holes into my back from the crowd. I had no idea what had gone wrong. I thought they were about to throw me from the throne room before Terra cleared her throat, gathering the attention of the royalty. I looked over my shoulder to see her bounding past the Priests and towards the throne. As she stood before Atem, her head dipped in respect, and then rushed to the advisor that stayed by his side. His resemblance to Yugi's grandfather was uncanny, and had I not known better, I would have rushed to him myself to find out where his grandson might be hiding. However, I remembered this man's name was Shimon. He was an elder priest, and a previous owner of the Millennium Key. Terra leaned in and whispered rapidly to the vizier, and the old man calm face broke out in terrified surprise. "The Queen has lost her memories?" He spat out.

The words echoed around the room full of people, hitting each one of them with a sound sense of dread. It hit me with the realization I had never even considered. "Hope, is this true?" Atem asked, his hurt melting into shock as those orchid eyes held me tightly.

"Queen?" I started, staring back. I thought my heart had stopped completely before I shifted uncomfortably. My hands rose up, as I took a step back, trying to deny the claim. I couldn't have been their queen. It wasn't possible. Not until it dawned on me. I was not the one who they worshiped. Hope had been the queen of Egypt. After a moment of silence, I recognized the expectant faces were waiting for me to speak. They were all uneasy, the fact that the co-ruler of their country could not even remember her life. I cleared my throat, lowering my hands to my sides, and my fingers gathering bunches of my golden dress. I bent my knee in a curtsy, my head dipped low. "Pharaoh, what Terra says is true." I heard the gasp rush through the crowd. I tried my best to ignore it. "I ask you; please call me 'Rhea' until my memory returns." I couldn't accept Hope's name. It felt wrong and I needed to cling to my identity as best as I could.

A man who resembled Seto Kaiba shifted to his left, remarking without concern to a man who was the image of the Dark Magician, "A Grecian name. How far exactly did she wander in the desert?"

"Set!" A woman hissed at the man. She looked incredibly similar to the Ishizu I knew from Domino.

Set sent the woman a glare in retaliation. "Then why don't you try to peer into her past to see where she picked up that name, Isis?" He sneered.

Her fingers clenched into fists as Isis turned fully to him, her shoulders rising in anger. "You know my Millennium Necklace cannot see the queen's timeline." Her voice was fueled with fiery annoyance. "Something blocks it." I couldn't tell which agitated her more: The fact she couldn't see me, or Set's display in front of the royalty.

"Enough." Atem commanded, and the priests fell to silence. His arm thrusted out towards me, and I tried to keep from flinching. "Granted." His voice was solid and final. His hand retreated back to his lap as he continued to speak. "Until you gain your memory back, you will be addressed as Rhea." His sharp eyes were hard on me. I breathed slowly, the shivers still racing down my spine. "Take her to her room." He demanded of the guards that flanked the throne.

The men who had led me to the Pharaoh surrounded me once more. They were somewhat nicer now, knowing my predicament, and urged me to turn from the priests and Atem. Reluctantly, I allowed myself to be led away by the group of men. I turned back to look back at the Pharaoh as we started to get closer to the door. His eyes had grown soft, if not sad. He seemed disappointed, as if he had expected me to fight to stay by his side. I pursed my lips together, my gaze turning towards the hallway as the doors closed behind me, barring me from his sight.

**…**

Kinakao: Sorry it's sort of short, but what big news, huh?

Rhea: This is so weird!

Terra: Now, now...We need to get everything into order...You have been writing more, yes?

Kinakao: Yes! I have the next chapter written, so hopefully the next chapter will be easier to type up faster.

I hope to see you all next time! Please Review!


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